Helmet manufacturer BRG (Bell, Ridell, Giro) Sports and 360-degree camera makers, 360fly, have revealed a partnering to develop a full line of “smart” helmets, with 360fly’s proprietary 360-degree 4K video camera built in.
According to company representatives at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, upcoming models will include:
Bell Star with 360fly – Driven by the essential needs of the modern racer, and completely new for 2016, the Bell Star is the most advanced full-face street motorcycle helmet on the market today
Bell Moto 9 Flex with 360fly – Bell’s most comprehensive off road motorcycle helmet, featuring its proprietary “progressive layering” energy-management system
Bell Super 2R with 360fly – Bell’s most versatile and award-winning all-mountain helmet, with an innovative detachable chin bar feature for maximum performance and adaptability
Giro Edit with 360fly – Giro’s lightest full-featured snow helmet
“The benefits of integrating digital video and intuitive digital technology into action sports helmets is a ground-breaking advancement for our sports,” said Terry Lee, Executive Chairman & CEO, BRG Sports. “This “smart helmet” collaboration with 360fly is yet another landmark milestone within our 60-year history of helmet innovation and industry leadership.”
“From day one, our focus has extended beyond the baseline benefits of immersive 360-degree VR content, and into the expansive universe of intuitive “smart” technologies that our single-lens technology enables,” said Peter Adderton, 360fly CEO. “These helmets are merely the first of many unique applications for these technologies enabled by our proprietary 360fly 4K platform.”
The integrated 360fly 360-degree 4K camera, is able to shoot conventional 16×9 video and can be detached, allowing it to be utilized independent of the helmet. A proprietary mobile app, features a simple user interface that allows for instant editing and sharing of content on platforms like Facebook and YouTube. Shooting at 2880 x 2880 at up to 30 FPS, the integrated camera also includes a built-in GPS sensor for tracking and location tagging, a barometer/altimeter and accelerometer. Like the original 360fly camera, the integrated camera comes standard with Bluetooth, built-in Wi-Fi and has up to two hours of battery life.
In addition to the existing mobile app functions, future options could include :
- AutoPilot action tracking – Allows users to track and follow the main subjects in their videos, making it easy to create dynamic edits with the rider at the center of it all.
- Collision Avoidance Alert – Senses and automatically notifies the rider of potential oncoming dangers that are outside the rider’s natural field of vision
- Live Streaming – For professional, commercial or advanced users looking to live stream 360-degree video, the integrated camera pairs with its Micro-HDMI accessory base (sold separately) and is able to output a real-time full 360-degree HD video stream
Another new feature planned for the camera-integrated helmet line is “Highlight Reel” – an auto-editing function that compiles a 1-2-minute highlight reel based on the specific sections of video that feature the most action.
Release dates for the helmets have not been announced but the target appears to be mid-2016.
